The Biden administration is expected to name as early as Friday the companies it believes are helping build Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, five sources said, a move that could eventually prompt sanctions on the nearly completed project.
The State Department report to Congress, which may come on Friday, is expected to list companies the administration believes are helping to complete the natural gas pipeline that Russia’s state energy company Gazprom says is more than 90% complete.
Sanctions law that went into effect on Jan. 1 would require the administration to sanction named companies, but President Joe Biden could take advantage of a consultation period with allies to delay imposing any measures that would quickly kill the project, said four of the sources, including three congressional aides and someone who works in industry, Reuters reported.
The consultation clause in the sanctions law that went into effect on Jan. 1 allows a U.S. president to consult with allies for an unspecified period of time before imposing sanctions.
“There is great concern that they will use consultation with the Hill and allies to delay strong sanctions,” a Senate aide said.
